Allder School Berries

04/17/2020

A very unusual development, figlets setting on fig trees already. Mild winter = early growth. These could become breva figs (mid-summer, big fruit). Will this be a good fig year???

04/16/2020

Looking past the coronavirus, now is the time to plant for the long run. Allder School Berries has many blueberry plants and fig trees for sale. Blueberry plants are $12, $15 and $16 while fig tree prices start at $15 and go to $80. Both blueberry plants and fig trees produced wonderful fruits that taste great and are good for you. Blueberries will grow anywhere in Loudoun and fig trees do especially well in eastern Loudoun and some of my varieties do well even in colder parts of the county. Also, let's not forget pawpaw trees, native to the East Coast. These fruits are getting more and more popular--even trendy. 540-454-6488.

04/10/2020

I'm still considering different options for selling my berries and veggies this year. Among them a county-based online system and another online system sponsored by our regular farmers market system, LVHMC. I won't be able to provide home delivery but delivery to a single place (like the Virginia Village parking lot) is easy. I don't anticipate having trouble selling my products but the total work involved in doing that might be much more than just going to Leesburg on Saturday morning or Wednesday afternoon. I will stay in touch with everyone about how things will work out.

I'm still looking for more email addresses. Send to [email protected].

04/01/2020

The rules governing the Leesburg Saturday markets and other LVHMC farmers markets are unclear at this time in view of the coronavirus restrictions we all have to follow in Virginia. As a result I am considering making some big changes to how Allder School Berries sells its products. My basic purpose is to make it equally safe as the social distancing rules but easier for my patrons and me. As of now I haven't decided exactly how I will sell my foods. If you are interested in following Allder School Berries this coming summer, please send your email address (if you wish) to [email protected]. I will add it to my list of patrons and keep in touch with you as the first weekend in May approaches. I will not use this address list for any purpose other than keeping you informed of where and how I will be selling. Thank you much, and remeber to wash your hands. Warren Howell

03/29/2020

A quick note: The Loudoun County farmers market scene is changing fast. Leesburg manager Jennifer and the winter vendors are adapting nimbly to circumstances. Since my normal starting time is not until the 1st week of May, I still have time to make changes. To help in this, I would like to ask all of you to send me your email addresses if you wish to do so. That way, I can contact everyone to make sure all are kept aware of what I'm doing. My email address is [email protected]. Thanks to all and hope to see you soon.

03/25/2020

Sad to say, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has ruled that Farmers Markets are not essential services. This means all MVHMC markets will be very restricted in sales of local farm products to our friends, neighbors and all other customers.
As the owner of Allder School Berries, I will be looking at other ways to continue providing you with berries, plants, peppers, figs and other produce. As I decide how to do this, I will keep you informed. Thanks to you all. Warren Howell

03/14/2020

Here's an article from Fruit Growers News about health precautions at Farmers Markets;

MAR 11, 2020
Farmers’ markets respond to COVID-19 with a number of approaches
As concerns about the spread of COVID-19 grow, farmers’ market operators are wondering how best to respond. Markets are grappling with their role as public gatherings that are vital to food access for consumers and the livelihoods of farmers.

In response, market operators are developing communications, preparing contingency plans, and in some regions, beginning to modify operations and considering closures. To offer a point of reference for our members, we have compiled information and advice from farmers markets, state associations, health departments and the Centers for Disease Control. Given the hyper local nature of farmers markets, the needs of one community may be vastly different from that of another. We recommend keeping up to date on your community’s status through your local public health departments. The actions that you take should be predicated on the situation locally.

Stay informed

Farmers market operators should consult their local health departments for up to date details in their community. Read the updates and recommendations available on their website and sign up for any alerts being offered by local or county-level health officials. The CDC has issued interim guidance for large public gatherings with useful steps. Highlights include:

Establish relationships with key community partners and stakeholders such as local health departments and collaborate with them on broader planning efforts.
Promote the daily practice of everyday preventive actions. Use health messages and materials developed by credible public health sources such as your local public health department or CDC to encourage your event staff and participants to practice good personal health habits.
Provide prevention supplies at your events.Plan to have extra supplies on hand for event staff and participants, including sinks with soap, hand sanitizers, tissues.
Discourage people who are sick from attending events.
Identify actions to take if you need to postpone or cancel.
Some cities and states have declared states of emergency in response to COVID-19. While a state of emergency sounds concerning, it is primarily a procedural step that allows state and local health officials to access additional resources for identifying, treating and preventing the spread of the disease.
Market operations

Market leaders and stakeholders should discuss options like the ones below to mitigate exposure and outbreak risks. It might not be necessary for your market to take all of these steps immediately, but you should be determining at what point your market will begin to implement operational changes.

Consider limiting demos and samples to decrease opportunities for cross contamination
Reducing or suspending penalties for last minute vendor cancellations
Invite local health departments to attend market days for educational opportunities.
Follow simple CDC rules for washing hands and not touching faces. Add additional hand washing facilities for vendors and customers. Have signs posted as a reminder.
Make sanitary gloves required for market staff who handle money, tokens, or vouchers and remind staff about hand washing procedures. Masks are not recommended for healthy adults unless they are caring for someone with COVID-19, market staff may ask about their use. Referring staff to information from trusted sources on mask usage may help reassure them.
For markets that are required to close, consider temporarily redesigning market locations to allow for pre-ordered items to be picked up at the usual market times or other alternative distribution methods.
Communications with customers/media/the public

Farmers’ market operators and supporters should make the case for markets to remain open wherever possible. Farmers markets are essential to the livelihood of farmers and food access, not just a social gathering. While markets may need to close in extreme circumstances such closures could be disastrous for both farmers and the shoppers who rely on the market.

Provide customers with relevant, up-to-date information without alarming them unduly.
Emphasize that protecting public health is paramount to your market and describe any changes to market procedures to prevent the spread of infection. The virus is thought to be spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can be killed using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Stringent cleaning and disinfecting procedures around the market and food safety protocols can help decrease opportunities for viral transmission. Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with food. Before preparing or eating food it is important to always wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds for general food safety.
Farmers markets may offer advantages over other outlets. Vitamin D has been shown to help the body fight colds and flu, time outdoors can help boost the immune system, and studies have shown that fresher produce has more nutrients.
Some public officials are recommending people have supplies on hand in the event that they become sick or quarantines are put in effect. For customers who feel the need to stock up on food products, encourage them to do so at the farmers market. Emphasize items that store well and prepared meals that can be frozen.
If markets do need to close, ensure that customers and vendors know that the market will be closed as early and through as many channels as possible.
Communications with vendors

Remind vendors of sanitary methods for handling money and food, and sampling. The FMC resource library has examples including the one from the Marin Farmers Market Association.
Communicate about changes to market procedures. Consider setting up a phone or text tree to get information out as quickly as possible to all vendors.
Plan with vendors how the market will determine if it is appropriate to close and any alternative sales method that may be available. Share planned closure communication strategy and channels in advance.
Prepare vendors for the possibility of smaller crowds at market.
Communications within the industry

We encourage markets to support and update each other by sharing resources, ideas, and examples of communications via the FMC listserv
We hope that this information proves useful as you respond to this evolving situation. Here are the Farmers Market Coalition we will continue to track and share information about the latest situation with COVID-19.

02/08/2020

A few words from me to let random visitors know I'm still alive and working on 2020. See the photos showing field preparations. Won't be long until we see each other again (in May).

09/20/2019

I will have the last of the Hatch peppers tomorrow. All good things have to come to an end. Pretty much the same or the Pawpaws. Very few are left on the trees but I'll have a good amount tomorrow. Plenty of other peppers.

09/11/2019

Plenty of nice pawpaws for the Leesburg Wednesday Farmers Market. Crop has been excellent. Also, peppers, cantaloupes, tomatoes. and others.

08/28/2019

Come to the Leesburg Wednesday afternoon farmers market today for more figs, watermelons, Hatch peppers, tomatoes and more. Hope to see you there--without the rain!

08/21/2019

In addition to the figs, ASB will have Hatch peppers, Shish*tos, Padron, Fresno, Guindilla and Fish peppers, plus some very nice Sugar Baby watermelons and tomatoes.

08/20/2019

Sweet, sweet, sweet end of summer figs. Check out these beautiful Celeste figs. Available tomorrow at Leesburg Wednesday Afternoon Farmers Market.

07/24/2019

Virginia will soon be for 'farmers market lovers'

And the Leesburg Farmers Market is leading the way! See you all soon.

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia farmers markets are feeling the love thanks to a new campaign to help spread the word about National Farmers Market Week...

07/16/2019

Sad to say, my blueberries are done for this year. They started early and ended early. Will have blackberries, which have been very sweet, plus honey and peppers. See you at the Wednesday afternoon market in Leesburg.

07/12/2019

Allder School Berries will be back at the Leesburg Saturday market with more blueberries (coming to an end) and sweet blackberries, plus a new supply of our wonderful honey. This Saturday we'll also have tasty, mildly hot peppers--Big Jims (a Hatch variety), Padron (a famous Spanish tapa), and Jalapenos. Hope to see you.

07/02/2019

OK who can identify this flower? Hints: it's not a berry and it's not native to the US.

07/02/2019

OK, who can identify this flower? Hints: It's not a berry and it's not native to the US. It's about 2.5 inches in diameter.

06/21/2019

ASB has a bumper crop of blueberries this year. So, this Saturday I will have Bulk Bumper Blues--5 pound bags--and a few early Jumbo Blues. Also some black raspberries and red raspberries. Hope to see you (early is best).

06/14/2019

BLUEBERRIES--muffins, buckle, clafoutis, pie, ice cream, coffee cake, yogurt, smoothies, and whatever else your imagination lands on. Blueberries are plentiful an good for you. Come get them at the Leesburg Saturday farmers market.

06/12/2019

GET OUT to the Leesburg Wednesday Farmers Market today. Allder School Berries has lots of its famous blueberries AND very early BLACK RASPBERRIES and Red Raspberries.

06/07/2019

With nice weather continuing and rain staying away (let's hope not for too long), berry production is looking good. The blueberries have responded nicely to the warm temps, as have the red raspberries. It might be contagious. The black raspberries which usually trail red ones by a few weeks are close to ripe. Probably ready next week. BTW, still have honey. Hope to see many of you on Saturday morning at the Leesburg market.

06/04/2019

Blueberries are here! Mr. Sun and Mother Nature have worked together for the past week to bring the green berries to their true blue state. Over the winter we had some serious talks with the blueberry bushes to shake them out of their soggy 2018 doldrums. With some sharp, extensive pruning, the bushes have eagerly put on a heavy fruit set. While we'll start slowly as usual, the volume should ramp up quickly. Please come see us at the Leesburg Wednesday afternoon farmers market.

05/20/2019

First time I've ever seen a turtle laying eggs in a field. This female snapping turtle chose a nice soft spot in a small patch I tilled about 4 weeks ago where I intended to plant watermelons. She is about one foot in diameter. Hmmm. Now what to do?

05/08/2019

OK, we're ready for the first Wednesday afternoon farmers market today, 4 to 7 pm. For foods, we'll have just asparagus and honey, but also available will be edible landscape trees and bushes such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, black raspberries, pawpaw trees and fig trees. Please come to check out this market. Hoep to see you from 4 pm on.

04/22/2019

So it's Earth Day. What could be more appropriate than showing pictures of flowers? Check out the succession of blueberry bush flowers. First, closed & pink, then opening and changing to white, Then open white upside-down bells. Strawberries start with daisy-like white flowers that then change to small green berries. Hard to wait for the final product. Coming soon.

04/15/2019

Thanks to all who showed up at the Leesburg Saturday Farmers Market. We sold lots of honey and plants, making it the best opening day ever. Loved it. See you next Saturday with more.

04/12/2019

Spring. Honey Time. Remember the very pale honey we had two years ago? People raved about it. Well, it's back. See the picture below. I'll have plenty of it this Saturday, the 13th.

04/10/2019

Allder School Berries will return to the Leesburg Farmers Market this Saturday, April 13. No berries yet, of course, but plenty of edible landscaping plants--patio and field blueberry plants, black raspberry. blackberry, fig trees, fast response strawberry plants for garden/hanging basket. One last note--our excellent honey. Come see me. Thanks.

09/28/2018

Come get the last pawpaws of the season. While you're at it, buy yourself a pawpaw tree for future production.

09/13/2018

ASB will have two new products this Saturday at the Leesburg market: pawpaw trees and bitter melon, another Asian food.

08/31/2018

The 2018 pawpaws have arrived. They'll be available at tomorrow's Leesburg market.

08/24/2018

Try cucamelons.

08/22/2018

OK, so in my earlier posting I forgot to add a visual, I forgot my laukis and I misspelled Berries. I repent with this photo of my new products for the Wednesday market-- sweet and juicy figs and just picked laukis.

08/22/2018

Allder School Berrie will have figs today (Aug 22) at the Wednesday Afternoon Farmers Market in Leesburg.